YouTube and the National Council for Women in Egypt have teamed together to launch a number of programs aimed at encouraging more female content producers to share their experiences and fostering a safer experience for women using the site.
The initiative, which was announced last week, on Safer Internet Day, entails a number of seminars and meet-ups to create a community of content producers, YouTube experts, and NCW representatives.
Dr. Maya Morsy, the council's president, expressed the organization's delight in collaborating with YouTube, “especially in light of what women suffer from exposure to various types of cyberviolence via social media that have become an open space for people to engage in violence against women.”
She pointed out that Egypt has been moving to pass laws that shielded women from all types of assault in recent years.
“We are proud to encourage more women content creators and support them to develop their skills, to further understand women’s issues, and promote meaningful and useful content,” she continued.
The seminars, which will be held throughout the year, are designed to assist more female content producers in making use of the resources at their disposal to expand their channels and learn about the various features and tools available for staying safe online.
NCW will offer specially designed courses for content producers with an emphasis on producing material sensitive to women's needs, spreading knowledge of female empowerment, and avoiding being a victim of cyberviolence against women and girls.
Sessions about #IamRemarkable, a Google program that aims to empower women and other underrepresented groups and highlight their accomplishments, will also be covered in the seminars.
As a result of the partnership, the NCW will join YouTube's Trusted Flagger program, making it the first organization in Egypt to be able to flag content directly to YouTube and track the choices made.
According to Tarek Amin, regional director for YouTube partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa: “Together, we aim to continue developing a safe experience for women creators in Egypt by equipping them with the skills needed and inviting them to join a wider support circle of other content creators and experts of the platform.”
